Bob Baffert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Baffert Under Review By Breeders’ Cup To Determine 2021 Participation Status

The Breeders' Cup announced on Saturday that it has begun a review process to determine whether Bob Baffert – the all-time leading Breeders' Cup trainer by money won – will be allowed to participate in this year's world championships at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif., on Nov. 5-6.

On June 2, Baffert was banned from participation at tracks owned by Churchill Downs for two years after Zedan Racing Stables Inc.'s Medina Spirit failed a drug test following his first-place finish in this year's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The positive test for the corticosteroid betamethasone on May 1 was Baffert's fifth failed drug test in 365 days, beginning with two lidocaine positives for Charlatan and Gamine at Oaklawn Park on May 2, 2020 – Charlatan's bad test coming in the G1 Arkansas Derby and eventual filly and mare sprint champion Gamine testing positive after an allowance win. Both Charlatan and Gamine were disqualified from their victories by Oaklawn stewards, but the Arkansas Racing Commission reinstated the wins, overturned a 15-day suspension of the trainer and fined him $10,000.

Baffert was fined $2,500 by California Horse Racing Board stewards after Merneith tested positive for dextromethorphan at Del Mar in July 2020 and then Gamine tested positive for a second time – this time for betamethasone – after a third-place finish in the G1 Kentucky Oaks on Sept. 4, 2020. She was disqualified and Baffert was fined $1,500.

“The Breeders' Cup Board has commenced a review process as to whether Bob Baffert will be permitted to participate in this year's Breeders' Cup world championships,” a statement from the Breeders' Cup said. “The process will include an opportunity for Mr. Baffert to present his case and will conclude in advance of pre-entry for the 2021 world championships.”

Baffert's five failed tests do not violate the Breeders' Cup Convicted Trainers Rule that disqualifies a trainer from participation if he or she has been sanctioned in the previous 12 months for a Class 1 violation carrying Category A or B penalties or a Class 2 violation carrying a Category A penalty (classifications are determined by the Association of Racing Commissioners International). Lidocaine is a Class 2 drug with Category B penalty. Dextromethoropan is Class 4/Category B. Betamethasone is Class 4/Category C.

There is a provision in Breeders' Cup Limited's Horsemen's Guide for pre-entry procedures stating that the organization reserves the right to refuse pre-entry or entry of any horse, in “BCL's sole discretion, for any reason, including, but not limited to, situations where any connection (e.g., owner, trainer, jockey) of such horse has engaged or may have engaged in conduct, or become the subject of a regulatory or law enforcement inquiry or action alleging conduct that is unlawful, unethical or which may otherwise compromise the integrity or reputation of the Breeders' Cup world championships.”

Baffert is second to fellow Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas in all-time Breeders' Cup wins, with 17 (three fewer than Lukas), but his $35,985,000 in earnings leads all trainers by more than $9 million, according to statistics compiled by Breeders' Cup.

Baffert has a number of leading contenders for this year's Breeders' Cup races, including G1 Del Mar Futurity winner Pinehurst, whose ownership includes the Stonestreet Stables of newly elected Breeders' Cup chair Barbara Banke.

If Baffert does participate in the Breeders' Cup and Pinehurst finishes in the top four in the G1 Juvenile, the horse will not be eligible for any qualifying points to the 2022 Kentucky Derby (10-4-2-1 points are earmarked for the top four finishers). Churchill Downs Inc. recently announced that horses will not earn points in official Derby qualifying races if they are in the care of a trainer who has been suspended from participation at Churchill Downs. Baffert is the only known trainer suspended by Churchill Downs Inc., which exercised its private property rights when it announced the exclusion..

Baffert is also facing a possible suspension by the New York Racing Association, which has scheduled a Sept. 27 hearing in front of a hearing officer to consider NYRA's statement of charges against the trainer that incorporate the multiple violations and Baffert's response to them.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has yet to conduct a hearing on the Medina Spirit positive test.

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Enbarr Rallies Past Montebello To Win Capote Stakes At Los Alamitos

Heavily-favored Enbarr made his first victory a stakes success, rallying past stablemate Montebello in the final eighth of a mile to capture the $75,000 Capote Saturday at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for Baoma Corporation, the 2-year-old Brody's Cause colt sat third behind the early pace set by Montebello, the 3-2 second choice, and 12-1 shot Olympic Legend, steered outside entering the stretch and went on to win by a comfortable one length in 1:16.33 for the 6 ½ furlongs.

Second behind stablemate – and eventual Del Mar Futurity winner – Pinehurst in his debut Aug. 1, Enbarr, who was ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, paid $2.80 and $2.10 as the 2-5 choice. There was no show wagering after Rhetoric, who is also trained by Baffert, and Fascinated were scratched earlier in the day.

Montebello, who finished eight lengths clear of Olympic Legend, returned $2.10. It was the Curlin colt's second consecutive runner-up finish in a stakes. The New York bred completed the exacta behind Senbei in the Funny Cide Aug. 27 at Saratoga.

Although a 1-2 finish for the stable was the desired result, the race didn't play out exactly as assistant trainer Mike Marlow thought it would.

“We thought Enbarr would be showing the way early and Montebello would be a couple of lengths off him,'' he said. “They broke and that's how it ended up with Montebello in front and Enbarr tracking.

“They're both good horses. I think Montebello is going to be better around two turns. He's got that high cruising speed while Enbarr is just a fast horse.''

Van Dyke, who was aboard Enbarr for the first time, was impressed with the colt purchased for $200,000 as a yearling.

“I just played the break and when (Montebello) showed more speed I let my horse relax,'' he said. “He gave me a good run around the turn and then really kicked into gear at the top of the stretch when he switched leads. He was just idling at the end once he got past.''

Out of the Warrior's Reward mare Star of Gallantry, Enbarr increased his earnings to $57,500.

Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 1 p.m.

The program is highlighted by a pair of stakes – the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special for older horses at 1 1/16 miles and the $75,000 Dark Mirage for older fillies and mares at one mile.

The Special is the fifth of nine races while the Dark Mirage is the eighth.

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Captain Bombastic Best In Polynesian Stakes At Laurel

Team Hanley's Captain Bombastic, a New York-bred son of Forty Tales trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Feargal Lynch, pulled away from Grade 1 winner Roadster down the stretch to win the $100,000 Polynesian Saturday at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

A 10-1 longshot, Captain Bombastic's victory was his first under the shedrow of Hall of Famer Asmussen. The colt was previously trained by Chad Brown and Jeremiah Englehart. Captain Bombastic covered the mile in 1:36.11, winning by a length over Cordmaker, who was disqualified from second and placed sixth for interference down the stretch. Phat Man, who finished third, was placed second.

The Polynesian victory capped a big day for Asmussen and Lynch. Just 30 minutes earlier, Jalen Journey, trained by Asmussen and ridden by Lynch, was placed first in the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash after winning favorite Wondrwherecraigis was disqualified from first for interfering with Jalen Journey down the stretch.

“It was a great day,” Lynch said. “Getting put up is never ideal. You don't want to win that way. But sometimes you're the windscreen and sometimes you're the bug.”

Toby Sheets, assistant trainer to Asmussen, said of Captain Bombastic: “He had been training well. We gave him a bit of a break and lightened up on him and he came right back around. [Lynch] saw a hole and probably thought he should go for it after the last race.”

Captain Bombastic, whose last victory came in August of 2020 in the New York Stallion Stakes, was fourth in last year's Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and sixth in the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico. On Saturday, in his second start for Asmussen, the 4-year-old raced third down the backstretch behind a :23.68 opening quarter set by Roadster and Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, riding at Laurel for the first time since 2007. Approaching the turn, Lynch saw an opening along the rail and guided Captain Bombastic to the front. Roadster stayed outside Captain Bombastic past a :47.05 half mile and poked his nose in front again around the turn. But Lynch took the lead back entering the stretch and Roadster couldn't keep up.

“With Steve's horses, you don't get in their way and you just get good position,” Lynch said. “When Mike left the rail open, it was either go in there or take back. But Steve's horses…they're warriors. It's so hard to describe. You look at their ears, they're flat back and they want to win more than anybody.”

Roadster, a $525,000 yearling in 2017, was a highly regarded juvenile and later a Kentucky Derby contender after winning the 2019 Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby for trainer Bob Baffert. But that victory has remained his last trip to the winner's circle. He came into the Polynesian off a fourth-place finish in April in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs.

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Keeneland CEO Shannon Arvin Talks September Sale On Writers’ Room

The early returns have been strong at Keeneland's marquee September Sale, both in the numbers on the board and the overall vibe on the grounds, and Wednesday morning, the company's president and chief executive officer Shannon Arvin joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to talk about her first September Sale officially running the show, the return of some normalcy to the auction environment, what to expect at the upcoming Keeneland Fall Meet and more.

“The word we keep saying is electric,” said Arvin, calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, about the atmosphere on the grounds. “We've worked really hard to try to create the right environment that Book 1 deserves. So we've got a lot of flowers, we've got cocktails, we've got brunch. The barns are full of people, domestic buyers, international buyers. There were a lot of people sitting in that pavilion and really excited to be here. The electricity is palpable and we really do have that hustle and bustle back, which is what we want at a public auction.”

Arvin has Keeneland in her blood, as a Lexington native and the third generation of Keeneland management. She was asked about her early memories of Keeneland and spoke to her reverence for what the company means to racing as well as the Lexington community.

“It's funny, since I've been in this position, a lot of people say, 'Well, of course you were going to be president of Keeneland.' Nobody ever knows they're going to be president of Keeneland,” she said. “There are so many people that revere this institution, and what it means to racing, what it means to the Thoroughbred industry, what it means to our community. I definitely am one of those. My grandfather was the first general manager and he was here from 1936 until 1971. My dad grew up on these grounds and was lawyer to Keeneland and was one of our three trustees when he passed away in 2008. My early memories are from working here. I answered the switchboard and I worked in the sales office. They had Dough Daddy donuts every Saturday, and graham crackers and peanut butter in the break room … We are a company that was formed by horsemen for horsemen. In order to fulfill our mission to be a model racetrack, and promote the best in Thoroughbred racing and industry world leading sales company, we have to have horsemen on our team that understand what our customers are going through. So I think that's helped me really have strong ideas about who we need to have here.”

Elsewhere on the show, which is also sponsored by Spendthrift Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Thoroughbreds and Legacy Bloodstock, Joe Bianca and Bill Finley were joined by guest cohost Gabby Gaudet to discuss a smashing Kentucky Downs meet, the declining foal crop numbers and Churchill Downs's announcement that horses in the barns of suspended trainers will not be awarded Road to the Kentucky Derby points. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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